Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said that the next general elections would be held as per the parliamentary democratic system, instead of under the supervision of a neutral caretaker government (CG) as demanded by the opposition. “People haven’t forgotten the oppression unleashed by the last CG. Has the opposition leader forgotten the torture inflicted by the CG on her own sons? What is the guarantee that she would not face such consequences again? Will the CG elect the opposition to power?” she asked these questions during a view-exchange meeting with grassroots-level leaders and workers of the Tangail district unit of Awami League, at her official residence in Sher-e-Banglanagar of the city.
“Elections are always being held in the local government level, city corporations and other entities. These polls are not rigged. We believe in free, fair and neutral elections,” she said.
The Prime Minister also said that democracy was threatened during the regime of the last CG and that it had been revived by the strong leadership of the late president Zillur Rahman. “The Awami League government believes in democracy to attain socio-economic development. Elections would be held as per the parliamentary system, as in Malaysia, the UK and the US. People would elect their representatives,” she added.
Urging the BNP to take part in the next election, Hasina said that the main opposition BNP would lose seats if it does not take part in the next polls. “If that happens, it would be difficult to get back those lost seats,” she added.
Criticising the late president Ziaur Rahman for stopping the trial of war criminals, Hasina, also president of the AL, said, “We’re committed to people to complete the trial of war criminals. But, the BNP, in connivance with the Jamaat, is trying to foil the trial.”
She urged everyone to unite against those who try to thwart the trial of war criminals. “BNP is calling unnecessary hartals and causing great loss to the country. The BNP and the Jamaat are killing people, setting fire on vehicles as well as on public and private properties. They have decided to destroy the country. All must remain aware of it,” she said.
Hasina expressed deep shock at the loss of lives in the building collapse incident in Savar. The Prime Minister and delegation members observed a one-minute silence in memory of the victims of the Savar building collapse.
“It’s unfortunate that poor people, especially girls, come to work at garment factories, and lose their lives. The government, different agencies, along with local leaders and people, are trying rescue those who have remained trapped inside the collapsed building,” she said.
“Rescue operation is a difficult task. But the government has given top priority to saving lives trapped under the building debris,” she added.
The Prime minister also criticised some workers’ leaders, who were busy showing their faces on television instead of helping the rescue operation.
“Some people are busy in talk shows. They are busy pointing fingers at people. I would urge them to go there and take part in the rescue operation to save a single person. Then, they would understand why the rescue operation is taking so much time,” she said.
About the building code, Hasina said, “About 90 per cent of buildings in Bangladesh did not maintain the code. Will we destroy all of them? Why didn’t the matter was looked upon at the time of construction? People are constructing buildings haphazardly, without considering the quality of soil.”
She also said that there are plenty of wet lands in Bangladesh and this should be kept in mind during construction of buildings. She also urged people to check their buildings after earthquakes.
Food minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, AL joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif and Satish Chandra Roy were present at the event.
-With The Independent input
